when lacey met harry

week fifteen

AN: if you make it this far don't forget to vote! thank you for the reads! also i counted my weeks wrong and this should be week 16 but let's just pretend it's Christmas time.

TUESDAY

"Lacey, please. The Styles are going to be here too. I am attempting to fix this." Mark said to me, struggling to not raise his voice at me.

"Why couldn't you just let them keep their annual Christmas party. Why bring it here Mark? I won't be here. I refuse. You expect me to torture myself with Harry being here, and not being able to speak to him." I sat on the couch and pulled my legs to my chest.

"Maybe this wasn't a good idea honey." Kenny said softly to Mark.

"I'm trying to fix this. I'm trying to fix this for you, Lacey, so you can be with him." Mark pleaded sitting next to me.

"And what if it all blows up Mark? I can't handle that again." I said softly.

"Kenny will remove you instantly. You will be removed from the situation instantly."

Every year since as long as I can remember, my parents hosted Christmas Eve at their home for their dearest friends, and the rest of the upper east side society. This year, my brother so graciously took over, playing it out to my parents as him and Kenny's entrance into society as Mr. & Mrs. before actually tying the knot. Of course my mother was thrilled with the idea. This had now also become my brother's latest scheme to piece everything back together.

"Fine. I'll be there. On one condition. All my friends and their families are invited as well. The Duprees, the Horans, the Maliks—I know who Lacey."

I took a deep breath and nodded, "I cannot wait for next week to be over and done with."

"You are so dramatic Lacey. It's the holidays." Mark nudged me softly and I glared at him, "Plus, I want you and Kenny to go shopping. Buy nice dresses, whatever you want on me. Also new china, and whatever the heck I'm going to need to make this successful."

I couldn't help but laugh, "Oh Mark, you really are going to throw this on the women with less than two weeks?"

He rubbed the back of his neck, "Please?"

Kenny and I looked at each other, "Okay." We both said.

"You didn't invite the Reeds right?" I raised an eyebrow at him.

"Fuck no." My brother said and Kenny and I were shocked by his cursing.

"Okay then, you have my full support." I laughed.

FRIDAY

"Kenny, what about this? We can make everything green and silver? The green on white china looks so pretty!"

Kenny walked over and analyzed the plates, "Your mom doesn't have these right? I swear I've seen them."

"No. See, new season, we are good." I smiled.

"I just don't want people to think that we are using her hand me downs." She frowned slightly.

"Kenny, I literally came up with the Burket checklist for my mom. You will be the talk of the town for the best Christmas Eve party the upper east side has ever seen."

She smiled softly, "Thanks Lace. So are you going to family dinner tomorrow?"

"Let's not push it shall we?" I smiled, raising my eyebrows, "Plus, Dr. Myer wants to start running tests tomorrow. So I'll probably be there all day."

"Do you have someone to go with you?"

"No, but it's fine. It's just a couple little stabs here and there, some blood. I'm fine." I smiled to reassure her.

"Lacey, I wish you weren't so stubborn, but I still love you."

I laughed, "Thanks Ken. Now can we go spend my brother's money on things I actually care about like clothes?"

She laughed and nodded eagerly, "Let's do it!"

—

Kenny and I were at Bergdorf searching for dresses for about an hour. The thing that made Christmas Eve dress shopping hard was that everyone always wore floor length.

I was standing in front of a mirror debating between a white silk dress, with a sweetheart cut, and an emerald green dress with a cowl neck.

"Green was always your color." I heard a soft voice of a woman, with a British accent. When I turned around I found Anne Styles standing behind me.

"Oh, thank you Anne." I hung up both the dresses over my arm and held them close to my body, "It's nice seeing you."

"It's nice seeing you too, dear. Your hair looks just lovely." She smiled at me, pointing at my hair.

I reached up and fluffed it up a bit, "Thank you."

She nodded and smiled, "How have you been? Harry told us....about.... the cold." She said slowly and I chuckled softly.

"I'm great, well, I finally feel great. I don't know if the cold is cured, but I feel better. Just get sore easily." I smiled softly.

"I'm glad to hear that Lacey. Truly." She smiled,

"How's Harry?" I heard myself say without really thinking.

"Mmm, the truth, or shall I sugar coat it?" She smiled teasingly and I chuckled.

"Truth."

"Miserable darling. He's trying."

I nodded and bit my lip, "Is he coming? Thursday?"

"His father didn't really give him a choice. So, he will be there."

I nodded softly, "So, green?"

She smiled brightly, "Yes, green."

SUNDAY

I walked into Liza's loft for our own version of Sunday tea wearing a baby pink romper with a white bow in my half up half down hairstyle.

"I bring macarons!" I waved my Laduree bags in the air.

"I knew there was a reason we kept you around!" Chelsea exclaimed, clapping her hands and I rolled my eyes and laughed.

"So Lacey, what color are you wearing? I don't want to wear the same." Liza smiles.

"Emerald green, as probably a lot of people will." I smirked playfully at her.

"True, I guess red isn't exactly unique for Christmas." We all giggled.

"So I know it's tea, but I brought champs, and some sparkling cider for you Lace!" Tam smiled.

"Thanks Tam, I might actually drink next Thursday, so everybody pray for me." I smiled opening up my cider.

"Sweet Don Julio, may her Shirley be Dirty." Tam prayed to no one and we all laughed.

"So the boys are going to look so good! I saw Harry and Niall's outfits today, ugh, delicious." Liza wiggled her eyebrows, and I felt myself blush slightly sipping my glass.

"Are you going to talk to him, Lace?" Chelsea asked.

"I don't know exactly. I don't know, how everything will play out. What's okay. I don't know." I twirled my hair around my finger.

"Well, we got you. No matter what happens, okay? I will sacrifice finally kissing Zayn for you." Tam said, her hand over her heart.

"You haven't kissed him?" I raised my eyebrows.

"That's what you got out of it?" Tam rolled her eyes and I laughed.

"Thank you for sacrificing your first kiss for me Tam Tam." We both laughed.

"Where is Chester by the way? He didn't respond to me." Liza asked as someone served us small sandwiches.

"He's in Toronto with his family for the holidays. He tends to leave around this time and won't be back until the day after New Years." I smiled.

"Who leaves New York for the holidays?" Chelsea asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Chester." Liza and I said and both started laughing.